The global crisis of coronavirus pandemic has brought all lives to a standstill. Organisations are forced to function remotely. This new change has given way to a different kind of work-style which is not entirely new. The modern corporate world has been introduced to work-from-home culture since the inception of video conferencing.
But not every company runs completely remotely. In fact, very few organisations adopted this style of working because the majority of industries are accustomed to run from an office environment. Quarantine and the need for social distancing have left no other option than functioning a team remotely.
Thanks to technology and its advancements, we have been bestowed with the boon of video conferencing and virtual meeting technology before the outbreak of coronavirus hit us. It has made the solution available for us way before the problem arose. Now is the time that we put this technology to the best of its use.
How should you manage and run a fully remote team smoothly during a lockdown? Here’s what we suggest.
Establish Extensive Communication
Maybe you were a well-organised team of people who would function on minimal communication. But this time is crucial for everybody. Usually, a team comprises different people with different mindsets who may have come from different backgrounds. Some may have worked in remote culture while for others this whole setup is too new. The key to absolute transparency is extensive communication. You may use Microsoft virtual meeting software to conduct virtual internal meetings.
You must communicate with each of your team members in a detailed manner. Some of your employees might be feeling anxious due to the uncertainty of the situation. This is the time when you must connect with your employees on an emotional level to help them feel confident and less stressed out due to the pandemic. You may help them understand the usefulness of lockdown situations, set expectations, and foresee achievable goals.
Set Expectations
In the earlier days of work-from-home, you must set clear expectations with your team members. Many people who have been working in an office environment may find the initial days of working from home difficult. Some may not be aware of how the work would function and daily goals would be achieved without the presence of team members.
Thus, it becomes utterly important for you to set right and clear goals and expectations. Your instructions may include the working hours, task accomplishment, internal communication related to the work, etc. The objective of your instructions should be aimed at the accomplishment of work without any disruption. You should tell them how they are supposed to communicate with each other, how there should be timely updates about the work, and how they would be informed of any kind of changes.
Team Meetings and Group Discussions
Almost every corporate has a culture of daily team meetings before beginning the work. This practice enables a team to understand tasks and the agenda of the day. Team meetings are a great way to set daily goals. Since there would not be a physical presence of team members in a room, you must turn to remote meeting technology to conduct daily team meetings.
These kinds of virtual meetings would help you bring all the members of the team together before embarking on the day. The minutes of this virtual meeting should be shared on email to keep everyone on the same page. Conducting group discussions will help your team to understand the project requirement and build up the right plan of action in a smooth way. You must be extra careful and double up your strategies of effective team management.
One-On-One Meetings
As a team leader or employer, you must have a ground-level connection with every individual of your team. You must understand how a team member is working from home, what challenges he/she is facing, and how they are dealing with the new change. Thus, holding one-on-one meetings through video conferencing is typically required. You may utilise Microsoft virtual meeting software for this purpose.
Your employees must be feeling lonely in the absence of connectivity with other team members unlike a usual office set up. You should regularly conduct virtual meetings to keep your team motivated. Along with team meetings, connecting with every individual is very important. It is needed to ensure that they are connected and effectively engaged.
None of your team members should feel left out. Honest and heartfelt communication will help you build ever-lasting trust amongst your team members.
Team Bonding Activities
Hosting team bonding activities once every week is much needed. Your team is obviously deprived of in-person connection that plays a vital role in a team’s bond. You cannot hang out with your team members but this social distancing does not lead to complete social isolation. You can set up some fun team building activities with the help of virtual meeting technology. You and your team may also join some online clubs where you can play games.
The remote working environment does leave every individual stranded from spontaneous conversation during the work and extra activities that are not related to work. This culture may leave people feeling lonely and disconnected. Once you and your team set up the right strategies and schedule, you would find this new work-style more productive.
Video Conferences and Webinars
Every enterprise and organisation is empowered by the team spirit. You must give preference to video conferencing over other mediums. This will ensure an in-person touch to the communication. An in-person touch in a meeting appends a human element and helps others feel more connected.
Another major activity that is required in a business is the need for regular training sessions. Professional webinar services can serve this purpose. Host a webinar to deliver online training sessions to guide and educate your employees and help them improve their skill sets. Dreamcast is one of the best providers of professional webinar services where you can find different solutions for your remote meeting requirements. We provide bespoke live streaming solutions befitting your specific business needs.
Conclusion
Essentially this new work-from-home policy feels difficult and a lot more challenging in the beginning. But as a team leader, if you successfully guide and help your team member by going little extra miles, you can turn it into creating most productive outcomes. This set up certainly removes the time and energy wasted in travelling. It also gives you employees enough time to spend with their families or on learning new skills. More peaceful a mind is, the more creative ideas it will come up with.
